Clean Fuel for Airports and Seaports, the Next Frontier in Sustainability

Some of the most polluting industries in the world are aviation and maritime.

 In our global society with our desire to travel to and acquire from everywhere, we are dependent upon powerful and fuel-hungry ships and airplanes. Taming their fossil fuel demand is a daunting task.  Thankfully, The Port of Seattle is becoming a beacon to help draw us away from fossil fuels through local efforts and international partnerships to clean up and electrify one of our country’s major airports and seaports.  Keith Warner will share some of the many initiatives the Port of Seattle is tacking towards with its strategy for cleaner fuels and electrification.

Seaports and airports are not only hubs for the large carriers that travel the globe, they are also major modal centers for unloading and loading business and pleasure people and huge quantities of trade goods.  As such, they require significant ground fleets and people movers.  All this equipment currently uses some of the dirtiest fossil fuels that are made.  The Port of Seattle is looking both at its huge local fleet of transferring and servicing vehicles for cleaner fuel and electrification, but also participating in initiatives to clean up the large planes and ships it serves.  Keith shares their goals, strategy, programs and progress at a major intersection of our present and future.  Prepare to be transported into a world we all need to know more about and one in which we all need to support to find better ways to power into the future.   

Port of Seattle

“Founded in 1911 by a vote of the people as a special purpose government, the Port of Seattle‘s mission is to promote economic opportunities and quality of life in the region by advancing trade, travel, commerce and job creation in an equitable, accountable and environmentally responsible manner.”

“Our vision is to add 100,000 jobs through economic growth led by the Port, for a total of 300,000 Port-related jobs in the region, while reducing our environmental footprint. We are committed to creating opportunity for all, stewarding our environment responsibly, partnering with surrounding communities, promoting social responsibility, conducting ourselves transparently and holding ourselves accountable.“

The Port of Seattle – Moving People and cargo across the country and around the world

Learn more about
the Port of Seattle’s Airport and Seaport Sustainability programs here

Below is a brief outline of Keith’s presentation:

• Port of Seattle brief overview – Maritime and Aviation Divisions
• Energy and Environmental targets
• Power portfolio and strategy
• Renewable natural gas supply for buses and building heat
• Current and future transportation electrification
  • Autos, fleet and taxi/rideshare
  • Airline ground support equipment
  • Electric aircraft task force
• Electrification of central heating plant
• Broader sustainability initiatives such as sustainable aviation fuel, rainwater capture, trash to biofuel conversion
• Maritime electrification approach for cruise/cargo ships; hydrogen generation study